ThinkPad in Tow for Shanghai-to-Paris Sidecar Journey

Four ambitious adventurers have completed an incredible journey by sidecar—and they did it with the help of three Lenovo ThinkPad laptops. The Project Side by Side team—Valériane (France), Thomas (France), Kewen (China) and Gernot (Austria)—completed this groundbreaking 130-day trek by sidecar motorcycle across 19,000 km (11,806 miles).

Trained before the trip in First Aid, the determined team battled the elements and won, equipped with Lenovo ThinkPad T and X Series laptops designed to survive through high winds, snow and dust storms. Despite the extreme altitudes, storms, and intense desert heat that reached 49⁰C (120⁰ F) in the Western China desert, the ThinkPads (and the crew) survived the trip.

The rough roads along the way prompted 28 tire changes and inflicted 157 breakdowns, including one full engine replacement. Over the course of the trip, the team chewed up and spit out more than 75 kg (165 lbs) of spare parts.

The ThinkPads—which routinely pass eight rigorous military grade spec tests—fared better and performed reliably throughout the trip. Not only did the laptops survive the shocks of the road, they also allowed the team members to stay connected online. The diverse team was able to communicate in English, Chinese, German, French and—at times—body language, while online followers tracked the team live on Google Maps.

The team used the ThinkPads to upload scores of video blog posts from the road. They also did on-the-road video editing and employed special conference call features to interact on video calls. The epic battery life on the ThinkPad T Series laptops—10 hours standard and up to 30 hours with an optional extended battery—was crucial as well.

We salute the Side by Side team, who epitomize the adventurous spirit of our mantra: “For Those Who Do.”